Having a fresh white smile is a hallmark of youth and good looks but once you start getting older, what can you do about the aesthetics of your smile? While there may be a number of over the counter options available, the most reliable way of how to get white teeth is to invest in a professional teeth whitening treatment. Your dentist is in the best position to advise on whiter teeth and to recommend safe whitening treatments. Let’s take a look at why.
Why Do Teeth Become Discoloured?
The layer below your dental enamel is called dentin. When you are born your dentin is white but as you get older, it starts to discolour and turn yellow. There isn’t anything you can do to stop this from happening, because it is part of the ageing process. As you eat and drink, however, your teeth also become stained when they are exposed to tobacco, coffee and red wine.
Intrinsic and extrinsic stains both play a role in the overall colour of your teeth but, as you can see, you need to use teeth whitening products that penetrate your dental enamel in order to bleach the dentin below it.
Why Professional Teeth Whitening Makes A Difference?
While you might have whitening toothpaste marketed to you or recommended to buy teeth whitening kits over the Internet, these products are not safe or effective. To be effective they need to penetrate your dental enamel and by law, it is not permitted for teeth whitening products containing more than 6% hydrogen peroxide to be administered by anyone other than a medical or dental professional. In order to be safe, teeth whitening products need to protect and remineralise while they work, and it is only professional-grade formulations that have this research to back their claims.
How Does Professional Teeth Whitening Work?
When you consult with your dentist he or she will inspect the state of your teeth and gums to ensure you do not have active tooth decay or gum disease. Your dentist will listen to your whitening needs and then present you with options to achieve your shade of whiteness. When you have professional whitening you may be able to bleach your teeth by as much as six to eight shades lighter. If you have chairside whitening, you may also be able to achieve these goals in one session.
You won’t know what can be done however until you have consulted with your dental practitioner, who will explain how to get white teeth professionally. Your dentist will also need to clean and polish your teeth. This removes any traces of plaque and tartar and gives your dentist an even surface to whiten on.
How To Get White Teeth?
Once your dental practitioner is satisfied with the condition of your teeth and mouth, you will be presented with a cost estimate and the option of chairside or take-home teeth whitening trays. If you have a special event to attend or are in a rush to whiten your smile, chairside whitening offers you the fastest results. This teeth whitening treatment is performed by your dentist in the chair. He or she will protect your soft tissues and then paint a thick layer of bleaching agent onto your teeth. A blue light will be shone onto your teeth to activate the bleaching agent in the whitening solution. The whitening agent is left on for a maximum of 15 to 20 minutes before it is rinsed off. This process may be repeated a few times, or until you are satisfied with the shade of your teeth.
If you are in less of a hurry and are prepared to do teeth whitening at home, your dental practitioner will give you a set of custom-made trays to wear at home. You will wear them for a few hours every day or overnight, dispensing a drop of a whitening agent into each section of the tray. It is important that you follow your dentist’s instructions and do not wear the trays for longer than directed. It may take a week or two before you notice the results. Taking before and after photos is a good way to establish your progress.
How To Keep Your Teeth White?
Brushing and flossing twice a day is your best defence against dental decay. If you are a smoker or drink substances that stain teeth on a regular basis, cutting back or eliminating these substances from your diet can make a difference,
To find out more about how to get white teeth, it’s best to speak to a professional. Please contact us for a consultation: (02) 8203 8760.
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